1. Field of the Invention
For connection to a hose, usually, but not exclusively a fire hose, a foam generating apparatus, nozzle assembly, and adapter are presented that permit a user to employ a removable foam expansion chamber when desired or needed. More particularly, the subject apparatus relates to a nozzle that is either retrofitted or integrally structured with a rapidly detachable foam expansion chamber that, when attached to the nozzle, allows for the expansion of foam when mixed with indrawn air.
2. Description of the Background Art
The use of fire smothering chemical foams to prevent and terminate fires is well known in the prior art. Such foams are composed of various standard ingredients and are often, though not exclusively, mixed with air to generate an expanded state of the foam.
To deliver water or any other liquid from a transferring hose, the hose is generally fitted with a high pressure nozzle. Often, the nozzle is designed to deliver a variably fanned spray of the liquid. Frequently, only water is pumped or sent in the hose and through the nozzle and at other times only a desired mixture of foam components and water. Therefore, the nozzles currently utilized to deliver fire fighting liquids will differ if essentially pure water is being delivered or if a foaming agent is being transferred.
The core of many traditional variable spray water nozzles has a central stem that is surrounded by an outer nozzle body or bumper and includes means for producing the variable spray. Often, by twisting the nozzle body relative to the stem, or similar means, a fine spray to a more intense stream of water is generated.
For many traditional nozzles delivering foaming agents, the structure generally comprises a non-variable spray system that includes a permanently attached foam expansion chamber or a bulky and cumbersome chamber which is time consuming to add or remove when desired.
Depending on the exact nature of the blaze, the firefighter may need to employ either a stream of liquid or a fine mist of the liquid. For safety reasons, the firefighter may need to spray a widely fanned mist of water into a fire front to help cool the area. This water misting procedure may have to be done very rapidly to achieve the desired safety goal. If a traditional foam delivering nozzle system is employed by a firefighter it is not easy for the firefighter to stop delivering foam and switch to a fine safety mist of water. The subject invention overcomes this difficulty by providing an easily removed foam expansion chamber coupled to a variable spray nozzle, thereby producing a water or foaming agent nozzle in one unit.